


Birthday Cake

by Magnuslove



Category: The Mandalorian (TV)
Genre: F/M, sweet and gooey
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-07-29
Updated: 2020-07-30
Packaged: 2021-03-05 22:21:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,844
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25582798
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Magnuslove/pseuds/Magnuslove
Summary: He had one chance to get it right. So of course he gets it wrong. In other words, Mando doesn’t understand women!
Relationships: Cara Dune/The Mandalorian (The Mandalorian TV)
Comments: 32
Kudos: 49





	1. Chapter 1

Mando was finishing up his robocall with Greef Targa about the next bounty. He was going to be an easy catch, and not worth much, but Greef didn’t have any heavyweights at the moment.

”You know all of the big ones come to you, Mando, but right now, he’s all I’ve got.”  
  


Mando was watching Cara and the child roll around in the grass and giggling like school children. It made him smile and brought a warm feeling to his heart. They had taken to each other so easily once Cara had agreed to leave Nevarro and come with them. She had taken on a equal guardianship role, despite her claim that she had no desire to play mommy. Her nurturing side surprised everyone , even Cara herself, although she would deny it anytime he teasingly confronted her with the fact. She would threaten to make him drop her off at the nearest star port and he would relent, even though he knew that she had no intentions of leaving them.

Greef’s insistent voice pulled Mando’s wandering mind back to the task at hand.

”It’s fine,”he agreed absentmindedly. “It’s work. That’s all that matter.”

Good, good!” Greef said enthusiastically. “I’ll send you all of the information. In the meantime, don’t forget to tell Cara happy birthday for me!” This snapped Mando back to full attention.

”What?” He wasn’t quite sure he had heard what he thought he had heard.

”Cara’s birthday. It’s in two days. You didn’t know?”

“Why would _I_ know?!” He asked incredulously. “How do _you_ know?”

”She worked for me, remember? We did talk sometimes, you know. Anyhow, last year I had a little party for her at the cantina. Nothing extravagant, but she seemed appreciative.”

The bounty hunter slumped back into his chair with a sigh. “Shit. I’ve got to do something for her.”

”Oh, I’m sure she won’t care. Cara’s not hung up on those kinds of things”

Mando looked at Greef, and even through the holocall and the helmet, he could tell what Mando was thinking: she will absolutely care! And if by chance she _didn’t_ care, she would still make a big deal out of it anyhow just to irritate him and make him uncomfortable, because that seemed to be her favorite pastime. No, there was no way in hell he was going to let that happen.

”Alright, Greef, give me a little time on that bounty. I’ve got something more important to do first.”

”Good luck, old friend,” Greef chuckled before signing off. Mando signed off and sat up, hands clasped together, watching the two gather up all the kid’s toys that were scattered on the ground around the ramp of the Razor Crest. Maybe Cara really didn’t care about birthdays, but he knew that she deserved to have hers celebrated. He honestly wasn’t so concerned about the fact that she would give him a hard time if he ignored the day. The fact of the matter was, he genuinely wanted to do something nice for her. She had become his best friend, his co-pilot, and the child’s co-parent. He trusted her 100% with his life and the child’s. He had never felt that way about anyone outside of the Guild. She was special.

”But what to do?” he muttered to himself. He had no idea what kind of gift would like. Alcohol? Pretty safe bet, but not special. Jewelry? Not her thing. New armor? Impersonal.

”Ok, ok, Din. Think.”

Birthday cake! Who wouldn’t want a cake? Cara didn’t seem to go for sweets, but surely even she would appreciate the gesture. But where to get a cake? His eyes scoured the star map, but nothing in the sector stood out to him as somewhere to buy a cake. Most of the planets were uninhabited or hiding places for the galaxy lowlifes. Unless... he quickly scanned the map until he found what he was looking for. Sorgan. Omera. She would be able to help him. He could make the trip pretty quickly and it wouldn’t take him to far off of his planned course.   
  


Mando felt a pang of anxiety at the thought. He had rejected a Omera, in a nice way, but still. She was a very understanding person, one Mando didn’t think would draw the line at baking a cake for another woman. Hopefully she was still thankful for what he and Cara had done for their village. She was his only hope.

Cara came up the runway, child on her hip, her other arm full of toys. She sat down in the other cockpit chair and the child instantly reached the silver control knob that was his favorite toy. Once he had it and was sufficiently distracted again, she looked up at Mando.

”So did a Greef have a bounty for us?” Us. He liked the sound of that.

”Yeah, a small one. It should be pretty easy. We’ll head there in a couple days. I have to make a stop first.”

” A stop where?” Cara asked. “Who do you know out here?”

”Sorgan. I have...business there.”

”Oh,” Cara answered quietly. She knew his business was a pretty young widow with her eyes on the bounty hunter. Mando was looking straight ahead and for once she was grateful that he wouldn’t look at her. She knew that she couldn’t hide the hurt look on her face, and it was the last thing Cara wanted him it see.   
  


“Anyhow, the little guy here is dirty and tired. I’m, um, gonna give him a bath and put him to bed.“ 

“ I can do that, Cara. You’ve had him all day. Why don’t you take a break?” Mando reached out for the child and Cara quick stood up and pulled away.

”It’s ok. I’m going to take one myself. I was rolling around on the ground and feel pretty grimy. I’ll get him to sleep and put him in his carrier.” Cara took the silver knob for the child’s hand and gently set it on the console.

“Goodnight, Din.” She headed down below deck, thankful that he didn’t notice the hot tears rolling down her cheeks. 

* * *

Cara let the warm water run over her and the little green child, thankful that it masked the tears. The baby had seen them and curiously ran his small hand across her cheek, seemingly trying to understand. He sat on her hip as she washed him, trying to lick soap off of his fingers faster than she could wash it off.   
  
“Stop, it, kid. You’re gonna get sick. And I’ll be the one stuck with you.” Cara knew that the baby didn’t understand her words, but she still felt the need to correct her statement.

“I don’t mind being stuck with you, kiddo. At least you appreciate me. Probably the first person that every really has.” She was numb at the thought of Mando wanting to go back to Omera. He had his chance with her once. Hell, she had even encouraged it! And he had flatly rejected her. So why was he going back? To get her? Had he changed his mind after all? Normally Cara would have asked these questions of him immediately. But she was in too much shock when he told her, and she didn’t trust her emotions at the time. While she and Mando weren’t a thing, she felt that they had formed a very special bond. After all, they were their own company most of the time. They fought together, tended to each other’s wounds, took care of each other when sick. But now all of that seemed to mean nothing to the Mandalorian. Omera was pretty and definitely wife material, and Cara would never be surprised that any man would chose her. But she didn’t think that Din was just any man. 

Cara suddenly felt very tired. She turned the water off and wrapped the child in a towel before putting one around herself. The baby yawned and snuggled himself into her arms as she carried him to Mando’s quarters. She laid him on the bed to get him into his nightclothes.

”Alright, little guy, it’s sleepy time.” He didn’t fight as she placed him into his carrier and Cara sat on the side of Mando’s bed to sing him a lullaby. His eyes got heavy, and within minutes the baby had settled into a restful sleep. Cara gave him a light kiss on his head before closing the carrier and heading to her own quarters to put on her own bedclothes, or what passed as bedclothes: a tee shirt and shorts. Once dressed, she headed back to the cockpit.   
  


“The kid’s knocked out,” she told Mando. “You going to bed?”  
  


”Not yet. I’m not very tired. Mind sitting with me? I want to talk to you.”

She was done being his loyal fool. ”I’m tired. Whatever you have to tell me can wait until morning.” She turned and headed down the ladder, not giving him a chance to respond.   
  


He looked after her for a minute, not sure what had just happened. ‘ _I guess she is_ _pissed about me not mentioning her birthday after all’,_ he thought. ‘ _She’ll be surprised.’_

Mando turned his seat back to the instrument panel and smiled.

”Goodnight, Cara Dune.”


	2. Chapter 2

Mando set the Razor Crest down in the lush forest of Sorgan and powered down. He wasn’t ashamed to admit that he was a tad nervous about seeing Omera again. The situation between them had ended a little awkwardly. She had tried to remove his helmet, and truth be told, that bothered him more than a little. Then she had asked him to stay and he refused. For a split second, he had doubts about her being receptive to him, but decided that Cara was worth a little discomfort on his part. She deserved what he was trying to do and a little awkwardness would be worth it.

”Alright,” he said to himself. “Let’s get this show on the road.” Mando headed below deck to gather the youngling from his carrier. The child was still sleeping and only started to awaken when Mando turned on the light over his carrier. He squirmed and looked at Mando through squinted eyes before making a sleepy cooing noise and reaching his arms out towards the man.   
  


“Good morming, kid,” Mando whispered as he lifted him from the carrier. “We need to get you dressed. We’re going to see some old friends today.” He laid the child on the bunk and got clothing from the locker. The young ward began playing with his toes and giggling at the appendages like they were new toys. Mando quickly made his way back to the bunk and began taking off the child’s sleepwear, making him giggle louder.

”Shh,” he chastised the young one. “We don’t want to wake Cara. She needs to stay here so that we can surprise her. She’s going to be very happy when she sees it, but we have to get going. So quit squirming, kid, and let me get you dressed.” The child, seeming to understand, settled down enough to let the bounty hunter finish his task. Mando lifted him and placed back into his carrier, and after grabbing a few toys and extra clothing, headed down the ramp and out towards the village.   
  


* * *

Cara awoke from her slumber and instantly began rubbing her temples. Thankfully her room was still dark and she lay there quietly for several minutes. She didn’t understand why her head was throbbing so at first, but then remembered the bottle of fine Naboo liquor that Greef had gifted her for her birthday last year. She had come to her room last night after putting the kid to bed and finding that she couldn’t sleep, and feeling damn down on yourself, pulled the bottle from her locker. She hadn’t touched it in all of the time that she’d been with the Mandalorian and his charge. She hadn’t needed it. She had responsibilities now. She had people around her to stave off the loneliness that the always felt but refused to acknowledge. Cara always denied that she drank to make up for other things that were missing in her life, but she knew deep down that it was true. The fact that she hadn’t touched that bottle in all of this time proved it. But reality had quickly come crashing down. Here she was, on the eve of a new birthday, taking care of a child that wasn’t hers, caring too much about a man who didn’t feel the same way about her. Her intentions had never been to get emotionally involved with either one of them. The kid would eventually get back to his people, Mando would take off again to live his life, and she’d never see either one of them again. At least that was the plan.   
  


But when Mando had come back for her on Nevarro, something had changed. Maybe it was their near deaths earlier in the canteen, but he seemed almost desperate for her to accompany him. Her intention was to merely help him get the child back to his own kind. But that hadn’t happened yet, and the relationship had developed into more. A trust, a friendship deeper than she had ever known. She hadn’t told Mando, but it meant so much to her. And now, it was gone. But what could she say? She had no right to complain. After all, the Mandalorian was very clear about what he wanted and needed her for. It was her choice to believe it was more.   
  
  


Cara rolled over and threw the covers off of her body. She swung her legs over the side at sat there for a few moments, making sure she was steady enough before standing on shaky legs and heading to the cockpit. She was sure Mando and the child were awake by now, and was surprised that he hadn’t made an appearance in her quarters yet. Her surprise was increased when she made it to the cockpit to not only find it empty, but also that they had already made it back to Sorgan. She yelled out for Mando and the kid, and getting no answer, headed to his quarters, which were also deserted.   
  


“He took the kid and went into the village without me,” she exclaimed incredulously. Her head was spinning and was on the verge of tears, but her head was already pounding. “I don’t deserve this. But I’m done accepting it.” She determinedly went back to her room to gather her things. Whenever Mando returned, she was leaving. But she was damn sure going to give him a piece of her mind first.

* * *

The children were the first to see the Mandalorian enter the village and immediately swarmed the carrier that held their little green friend. The child’s eyes lit up with excitement as he desperately tried to free himself from the pen. Mando quickly lifted him out as he spotted Wintu.

”Here you go. He’s missed you guys. Can you watch him for me?”

”Yes, please!” The girl exclaimed excitedly. She and the other children took the baby onto a grass patch off of the road where they quickly sat in a circle surrounding the excited child. Mando smiled and started walking towards Omera’s hut. He had only made it a few steps when the woman came out, apparently to see what all of the fuss was about. He face registered surprise and then happiness as hurriedly made her way to the bounty hunter and embraced him in a warm hug.   
  


“The Mandalorian! I thought that we would never see you again! How have you been?”

”I’m well. How about you? Everything is quiet?”

”Everything has been perfect. We no longer live in fear, and have you to thank for thank. Come, come, sit down inside,” she said happily as she took his arm and led him into hut. “I was cooking lunch for Wintu. You and the child are welcome to some as well,” she smiled.

”Thank you, Omera, but we’re fine. I’m actually here because I need a favor from you?”

”Of course. Anything you need.” Omera wiped her hands and came to sit at the table with Mando. “So how can I help you?”

”I need a cake. A birthday cake.”

”Is it for the child?! How wonderful! I can make him any sort of cake that-“

”It’s not for the child. It’s for...Cara Dune.”

Mando saw the disappointment in her face. It was brief and slight. Anyone not expecting it wouldn’t have even noticed. The reaction immediately made him regret coming here. But Omera quickly recovered and the smile returned to her face, only not as bright this time.

”Cara a Dune? Is she here in the village? I didn’t see her.”

No, she’s back at the ship, sleeping. I wanted to surprise her.”

”I didn’t realize she stayed with you. You parted ways when you left Sorgan the last time.”

”Yes. But I needed her assistance again. After an incident on Nevarro she stayed behind and the kid and I left. But I went back for her. I asked her to come with us and she agreed. She has been a tremendous help to me and I wanted to do something special for her.”

Omera sat silently for a moment and Mando wondered if he should simply apologize for the intrusion and leave. He couldn’t be angry with her if she didn’t want to help hem. Mando pushed the chair from the table and started to move before Omera gently put a hand on his knee to stop him.

”Of course, I will help you,” she smiled. It’s the least I can do. So, tell me what you know about Cara Dune. What does she like?”

The question caught the Mandalorian off guard. What _did_ he know about Cara. He knew that she liked fighting. And drinking. He hadn’t really ever thought about it. And it wasn’t like they had in depths conversations about themselves. He liked his privacy and she liked hers, and if he were curious, he would never feel comfortable asking her things. Not when he refused to even show his face to her.   
  


“I know that she’s from Alderaan,” he began cautiously. And I know that she was a shock trooper...”

”Those are things that even _I_ know about her,” Omera laughed. “You don’t know anything more?”

”Well, we don’t exactly talk about our hopes and dreams to each other. We co-exist.”

”You don’t go back to get someone, and you don’t go out of your way to get a special cake for them if you merely co-exist. Let’s try this another way. You said that she is special. What makes her special to you?”  
  


Where to begin.   
  


“We...I...almost died on Nevarro. I gave her the child and asked to to look after him. To make sure he found his people. But she refused to leave my side until I promised her that I would follow. We all, most of us, made it out in one piece, and she stayed. Once I left I realized how hard it was to juggle being a bounty hunter with keeping the kid safe and trying to find his home. And...we missed her. So I went back to Nevarro and asked her to rejoin us. She didn’t have to. She had a steady job, a home. Nothing as dangerous as what she’d been through with me. But she agreed. And she’s been fantastic. 

Mando looked out of the doorway and the children playing with his charge. “But mostly she has helped me with him. They‘ve completely taken to each other. Honestly, I’m not sure who he likes more. She feeds him so that I can eat, she bathes him and sings him lullabies when he can’t sleep. She would die for him. That woman has been like a mother to him. Even though she swore that she wouldn’t.”

Mando stopped talking, and Omera touched his knee again, encouraging him to continue. All the words and feelings that he kept bottled up came pouring out. 

”I have never removed my helmet in front of her, and she’s never asked me to. But she sees me. I don’t know how. But I don’t have to say a word, and she’ll somehow know when I’m tired or feeling hopeless. And she makes it better. Maybe it’s just a smile or a hand on my shoulder for encouragement. She’ll tell a stupid joke or make a crude comment and I always find a way to laugh. Cara has become my best friend and I trust her with my life. More importantly, I trust her with his life.”  
  


Mando looked up at Omera’s smiling face. He said softly, “That’s what makes her special.”

Omera sat for moment, saying nothing, merely staring at the man seated in front of her.

”I’m very happy for you,” she softly spoke. “It’s very seldom that one finds such a friend. Protect and treasure that, always, Mandalorian. Don’t ever let her go.”

”Now,” she said as she stood and took the Mandalorian’s hand, “let’s go bake a cake.”

* * *

Cara Dune was incensed. Her throbbing headache had finally receded, and now she was cleaning the Razor Crest with furious energy. Mando and the child had been gone for hours, and he not contacted her even once. She briefly considered heading into the village, but she didn’t want to make a fool of herself in front of everyone, and she knew that if she saw Din and Omera together, all hell would be unleashed. Their battle in the forest that night would not hold a candle to the fury that she would let loose on Mando. So she kept herself preoccupied with scrubbing down every square inch of the ship. When she finished inside she went to the underbelly and began long needed repairs to the outside. She knew the inner workings almost as well as Mando, so she made repairs while barely focusing in the task at hand.

’ _Was this his plan the entire time? Use my help until he could get back to Omera? Or did he finally get tired of my company? It couldn’t possibly be because I didn’t do enough around here. I did everything he needed!’_

But then Cara thought, maybe he needed more. Intimacy. From someone like Omera. Cara couldn’t understand it. She had been physically intimate with men before, but it always left her feeling empty and wanting something more. To connect with someone on an emotionally as she and Mando had was completely new to her and it was a feeling that she had been craving. There was no need to see his face, or to kiss. No need to be naked in front of one another. Sex would not replace what they had now. Could it make it better? Anything was possible. But she didn’t want to risk the connection that they had to find out. _This_ was much more important to her. But Mando apparently felt differently. And she would accept that and move on after she said her piece.

The afternoon was quickly fading into dusk. Cara finished up outside and headed below decks to shower away the day’s dirt. She wanted to be ready to leave when The bounty hunter returned. Say what she needed to say, tell the child goodbye and be on her way. The tears returned as she showered and continued as she dressed and gathered up her sparse belongings before back to the cockpit. Dusk had now settled into the dark forest. Cara turned on the Crest’s exterior lights while she sat silently in the glow of the cockpit instrument panels, awaiting Mando’s return. She absentmindedly unscrewed to silver knob from the panel, _the kid’s favorite toy,_ and turned it over in her hand, smiling. She was going to miss the little guy a lot, but she knew that Omera would fill her spot well. Also, Wintu would be here, so he would have someone to play with. He would be in good hands.  
  


Cara caught sight of moment outside of the cockpit. They were back. She took a deep breath and lowered the ramp. She remained facing forward, knowing that looking at the, would cause the tears to fall again. She was calm now, and intended to stay that way. Cara closed the ramp behind Mando and the child and remained facing forward. The child saw Cara and immediately squealed in an attempt to reach her. Mando took him from his carrier and placed him on the cockpit floor and promptly ran to Cara. The woman picked him up and set him in her lap, giving him the silver knob. Cara heard Mando set something down before he walked up behind her and put a hand on her shoulder.

”Cara, I want-“

”Wait, Din. Before you say anything, let me just say something. When you asked me to come back with you, I agreed. It seemed like the right thing to do. I’ve tried to be as helpful as I possibly can. I don’t deserve to be treated like shit.”

”What are you talking about? Is this because I was gone all day? We wanted to surprise you.”

”If you had changed your mind about wanting Omera you could’ve have just told me and dropped me off at the nearest port. But what you did instead was not ok. Why in the stars did you think that you couldn’t be honest with me, I don’t understand.” Cara finally turned to face the man. This time there were no tears, only anger.

”I would have died for you two. I think you should know that You became the family I don’t have, and that meant a hell of a lot me. I don’t know what you’re looking for-“

”Cara...”

”And I’m sorry that I couldn’t provide it-“

”Cara...”

”But I certainly will not stand around-“

”Carasynthia Dune, will you stop talking for one minute.”

”Why??”

”Because you have it all wrong.” Mando walked over to the package that he set on the panel earlier. “This is why I came to Sorgan.” He removed the wrapping from the package to expose what was underneath: the most beautiful cake Cara had ever seen. It was small and covered in pale blue frosting, with fruit and tiny blue and white flowers covering the top. Cara looked up at Mando, not understanding.

”It’s a birthday cake. For you. I asked Omera to make it. She was kind enough to oblige.”  
  


“How did you know about my birthday?” 

Mando briefly considered telling her that he always knew, but him not being a very good liar, Cara _would_ know he was lying and _would_ make life very difficult.

”Greef told me.”

”You came here for a cake...for me. And not to get Omera?”

Mando knelt down beside the woman and took her hand.

”Cara, I came back for you on Nevarro because I missed you. We missed you. You are so much more than what you think. Give yourself a little credit. Maybe give me a little too.   
  


”Give you credit?? You’re running around being all secretive, you left without me and were gone all day! What was I supposed to think?!”

”Maybe that you can trust me like I trust you.”

”I didn’t knock your head off, did I? I gave you to a chance to explain.” 

“You’re packed up and ready to leave.”

”Have I left yet?”

”No.”

”Ok then. Take the kid. I wanna try this cake.” Cara stood up and pushed past him, putting the child in his arms. He smiled as he watched Cara put a finger into the icing and try a taste.

”Hmm, pretty good. So let me get this straight, Mando. You rejected this woman’s advances, stopped her from taking off your helmet, and then go back and ask her to bake a cake for another woman? You’ve got stones, big guy. I’ll give you that.” Cara was secretly a little proud that he let Omera know that he had chosen her instead. 

”Well, she didn’t seem very happy about it at first...”

“Do you think? If that were me I would’ve pounded you into the dirt.” 

“Why are you like this?”

”Like what?” 

“Different. Most women aren’t like you, Dune.“

”Are you saying I’m special?”

”Very special,” he answered, leaning down to put the smooth cool metal of his helmet against her head. His version of a kiss. “Happy birthday, Cara Dune.”

”Thanks, Din. You’re alright yourself. But if you ever pull anything like this again, I will pound you into the dirt.” she answered softly. “Now, we need to work on this cake. Little guy is looking pretty hungry.” She casually pulled a piece off and gave it to the child who proceeded to shove the entire portion into his mouth. Cara laughed at the child’s excitement and Din’s obvious dismay.  
  


”Best birthday ever.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So that’s it. Time to take a break from Cara and Mando. I’m not a writer by any means, but when something inspires me, I write, and these two did just that. Time to wait for Season 2 now, as I can only put them in so many scenarios. At least with the goofy stuff I like to write. Lol. I am obsessed with the Cara/Mando combo with a side of happy ending! Happy writing all!

**Author's Note:**

> I love them. Nothing else to say!


End file.
